Washing machines for clothes are well known and widely used. The typical washing machine has a washing basket, tub or receptacle that receives and holds laundry for washing. The washing basket is coupled to a motor that is operative, configured and/or adapted to rotate and/or otherwise twist the washing basket during the various laundry cycles. During a cleaning cycle or various cleaning and/or rinse cycles, water alone and/or water with laundry soap and/or other laundry products are introduced into the washing basket. The cleaning and/or rinse cycles are characterized by rotation of the washing basket at relatively low speeds.
During a drying cycle, however, the washing basket is rotated or spun at speeds that exceed the speeds attained during the cleaning and/or rinse cycles. These rotation speeds are just sufficient to utilize centrifugal force to remove water from the clothes. However, water can be more efficiently removed using higher rotation speeds. Such higher rotation speeds have heretofore not been used in washing machines due to various problems associated with high speed washing basket rotation. For instance, any imbalance in the washing basket due to load size and/or load distribution within the washing basket is magnified when the washing basket is rotated at higher speeds. Excessive vibration can cause and/or lead to washing machine/component fatigue and/or failure.
What is therefore needed is a washing machine that is capable of utilizing a higher rotation speed for a drying cycle thereof.